‘Sabotage’: Conspiracy theory sweeps world athletics championships

​Botswana track star Isaac Makwala has accused the IAAF of “sabotage” after it prevented him from contesting the 400m final at the world championships in London on medical grounds..The 30-year-old was expected to be the big challenger to South African Olympic champion Wayde van Niekerk, who would claim the first leg of his bid to win the 200m-400m double.“They said I had food poisoning - which I don’t have. I was not tested for that,” Makwala told British TV network ITV.“They didn’t even want to listen to me. They said ‘no, you can’t run because you are sick.’ Sometimes I think maybe this is sabotage.“I asked myself ‘what if I was a Great British guy, would they not allow me to run?’”American legend and now BBC commentator Michael Johnson was disappointed with the decision to ban Makwala.“The elephant in the room is that Wayde van Niekerk is an IAAF favourite, a fan favourite, he’s a favourite of everyone,” he said.“He’s the world record holder, champion, the Olympic champion and now the only person, that was his challenger - Isaac Makwala, who was going to double as well - who has fastest time in the world this year, 19.74 for 200m and the second-fastest time in the world this year for 400m.“And now he has been pulled out of both these races. Conspiracy theories are going round.”Athletics’ world governing body has defended its decision, saying it was taken to contain the contagious illness.The IAAF said in a statement issued moments before the final: “The IAAF is very sorry that the hard work and talent of Isaac Makwala won’t be on display tonight but we have to think of the welfare of all athletes.“The athlete was diagnosed with an infectious disease on Monday. As per UK health regulations, it was requested that he be quarantined in his room for 48 hours, a period which ends at 14:00hrs tomorrow (August 9). (Sunshine Coast Daily – Australian Newspaper)

Clubs sweating over club licensing compliance requirements

​By Thuso Rammidi

The Botswana Premier League (BPL) sides are racing against time to meet the bullish requirements set in the club licensing compliance that were imposed by the football controlling bodies.The requirements that were set by the parent body, Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA), and its affiliates Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) Botswana Football Association (BFA) ahead of the new season, are expected to start in a fortnight.The closing date by the First Instance Body (FIB), a committee tasked with assessing the clubs, had the clubs sweating to comply with requirements, which are envisaged to fast-tract football’s commercialisation and to professionalise it.The clubs are awaiting their fate following site visits undertaken this week. The submission of applications was closed mid July. The BFA had in 2014 postponed the process to this season and each club was expected to submit a written application for a club license, but the initial assessment was reportedly extended to August 10 (yesterday). The other requirements to be met include criteria in legal and club ownership, personnel and administrative, sporting youth, infrastructure, finance and media.According to FIFA club licensing regulations there are three criteria to fulfil (A, B, C). Criteria A is a must for a team to be issued with a license and it includes five key pointers; sporty, infrastructure, administrative & personnel, legal and financials. The teams reportedly fared badly on that criteria.It has emerged that the entire 16 premier league clubs have failed to meet the requirements from the assessment based on the information they provided in their files.Club licensing compliance requirement calls for clubs to satisfy the requirements in at least three categories and criteria to be awarded license to participate in the 2017/18 season, lest their forfeit their status in the top flight elite league.Club licensing, which is now compulsory for all premier league sides, requires the clubs to adhere to several requirements before they can be admitted into taking part in the domestic as well as CAF competitions. The clubs are required to have offices and full time staff. They are also expected to have full time general manager as well as a medical doctor amongst other things.It had been feared that teams are lagging behind in implementing the idea of club licensing, despite drastic repercussions awaiting them.Reports suggests that this time around, there will be no waiver issued from CAF and the defaulting teams will be sidelined for a season before being relegated the following season if they don’t rectify the shortfalls.However, former Premier League general manager, Setete Phutego who is committee member of the FIB has disclosed on Tuesday that they are happy with the process made so far.He told this publication in an interview that all clubs have submitted their applications and they currently undertaking site visits to ascertain whether information provided on application files corresponds with what is actually on the ground. The FIB team visited Sankoyo Bush Bucks office on Monday and the site visits process was concluded on Wednesday.Phutego gave a glimpse of hope, in contrast of a gloomy picture initially painted, but could not shed like on the findings at this stage before the committee sits for scrutiny, which will inform which clubs passed and failed in their application respectively.The snail pace at which the clubs have been going around the issue even worried BFA president, Maclean Letshwiti, who recently lashed out at the premier league sides for their slow response.He warned that clubs that will not be able to comply would automatically be expelled. “I am disappointed that I do not see the zeal and excitement that we need to take us forward.The moment of truth is here; if you do not comply, you will drop. You will not be able to participate in the league.This is a FIFA requirement, it is not my request,” Letshwiti told premier league clubs during the BPL annual general assembly recently.The acting BPL Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Thabo Ntshinogang is reportedly said recently that they are expecting clubs to comply after rigorous training, the sentiments shared by Phutego on Tuesday. “We haven’t seen the files yet but the authorities are still visiting teams until the 10th of August and we are hopeful they will comply,” Ntshinogang was quoted.

Michael Johnson, U.S. four-time Olympic gold medallist
“The IAAF may soon realise they have got this horribly wrong as to why they have chosen to disqualify Makwala. Does this apply to other athletes? If you collapse, you are OK but if you vomit you aren’t OK? There is a lot of inconsistency here.
And then of course, there is the elephant in the room - Wayde van Niekerk’s only challenger has been pulled out of both the 200m and 400m. The conspiracy theories will come out of the silence.”

Botswana disturbed by Makwala saga

​Athletics’ governing body has defended its decision to deny a World Athletics Championship medal favourite entry to London Stadium amid attempts to control a “very virulent” norovirus outbreak.Isaac Makwala, 30, had hoped to run in Tuesday’s 400m final, but was barred from competing.Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) chief executive officer, Falcon Sedimo, said that was “disturbing”.But the IAAF said it was under instruction to quarantine athletes who showed symptoms of the virus. It acknowledged Makwala’s absence was “a sad case” but said its medical staff examined the athlete and notes taken by a doctor showed he had been vomiting over an 18-hour period.Pam Venning, head of medical at the IAAF, told BBC Sport: “I have to trust my doctors. My role is to ensure the healthcare of all the athletes here and it’s a very infectious and very virulent disease.”In a later statement, the governing body said: “The team doctor, team leader and team physio had been informed following the medical examination that the athlete should be quarantined for 48 hours and would therefore be missing the 400m final on Tuesday.”Venning said “all the other teams” with affected athletes had adhered to IAAF instructions.Makwala had been considered the main threat to Olympic champion and world record holder Wayde van Niekerk, who retained his world title by winning Tuesday’s race.Makwala had earlier told BBC Sport he would be “devastated” to miss out as he was fit to race - having already been withdrawn from Monday’s 200m heats. But when he attempted to pass through the athletes’ entrance to the stadium, an official and security personnel prevented him doing so.Public Health England says 30 athletes and support staff have been affected by sickness at the Tower Hotel in London - though the hotel is not the source of the outbreak. The IAAF has insisted it gave clear communication to the Botswana delegation that Makwala would not be allowed to run following a medical examination. But Botswana officials said they had received no explanation as to why Makwala was not allowed entry, and had not been told to keep the runner in quarantine.Sedimo told BBC Sport: “There has been no official communication, no formal communication from the IAAF at all. We found out from the media that he could not take part and he is heartbroken.“There have been no medical tests at all, it’s just generalised assumptions because of the outbreak of sickness and he has just one of those symptoms.”Botswana medical team member Simon O’Brien said Makwala showed no symptoms of the bug and blamed “poor communication” from the IAAF for the athlete missing the race.“He’s fit, he’s very well, he’s prepared to run, and he’s just being kept away by the IAAF,” said O’Brien, who insisted there was no sign of the illness during the time he spent with Makwala.Some athletes have questioned the decision. After winning gold, Van Niekerk said: “I would love him to have his fair opportunity. I believe he would have done very, very well. I’ve got so much sympathy. I really wish I could give him my medal.” Former British 400m runner Dai Greene tweeted: “I was really ill in the build-up to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi (India) as were so many others. But nobody stopped us racing or tested us.”Several German and Canadian athletes staying at the Tower Hotel fell ill last week. A further 30 Germans who arrived on Tuesday were moved to other hotels. German triple jumper Neele Eckhardt collapsed but was well enough to compete on Saturday, and took part in Monday’s final. The Ireland team, who are also staying at the hotel, have confirmed that one athlete - 400m hurdler Thomas Barr - has been affected.The Tower Hotel said investigations conducted with environmental health officers and the IAAF had shown the hotel was “not the source of the illness”. That has also been confirmed by Public Health England.